Outdoor Vacation Destinations That Will Reignite Your Relationship

20 Places You Can Take Her On Vacation That Will Get You Lucky Every Time

The flame in all of our love lives will eventually begin to fade as time passes. The trick to throwing fuel on the fire is to take that special person to a place they've never been before and to experience something together for the first time. Whether it's a challenge to conquer together, or just a place to reconnect with each other, we've rounded up the 20 most exotic places in North America that are guaranteed to keep the home fires burning.

Sumidero Canyon

It’s hard to go wrong with any of the Chiapas area, whether you’re visiting the surrounding Mayan ruins at Palenque or the lakes at Montebello. The Canyon of Sumidero is a real standout, however, with its stunning sheer cliffs and the river winding far, far down below. It’s reminiscent of the Grand Canyon, but in the subtropics.

Montauk Point

Long Island really is just phenomenally charming. But while the classic suburban atmosphere is one of a kind, the area does have its stressors. The Long Island Railroad is perpetually late. The Long Island Expressway has maddening traffic. On a nice day, parking at any beach town can be nonexistent. So if you find yourself in Long Island and need to clear your head, take a relaxing drive out along the island’s eastern tip and visit the iconic Montauk lighthouse. Go fishing, enjoy a nature trail or throw a BBQ in arguably the most tranquil spot in all of New York.

The Columbia Icefield

One of the many must‐sees of the stunning Canadian Rockies, the Columbia Icefield lets you get intimate with the region’s glacial geography. Ride out onto the Athabasca Glacier in a large, rugged ice bus, step onto the ice, and enjoy millions of years worth of that ice’s handiwork in the form of massive, glacially carved mountains. While the Athabasca Glacier is quite popular and accessible, it’s not without its hazards; glacial crevasses can kill, so be sure to travel with a guide and follow all regulations.

Cave of the Crystals

Located adjacent to a mine, the Cave of the Crystals is home to some of the world’s largest crystal formations, up to 36 feet long and weighing 55 tons. Despite their awesome size, most of the crystals are gypsum, which is relatively worthless. If you manage to visit, don’t plan to stay for long: With temperatures of up to 136 degrees and 90-99% humidity, visitors can only endure about 10 minutes without special equipment.

Whistler

The Canadian wilderness is plenty awe-inspiring on its own, but what if you could ski it? That’s exactly what you’re in for at Whistler resort, the largest ski resort in North America. The scale alone will make you wish you had double the amount of time you planned there. With a vertical drop of 5,000 feet, there are plenty of slopes for skiers of all abilities.

Cape Cod

If you feel the need to calm your nerves and are looking to do so in a truly tranquil setting, there may be no better place than Cape Cod. This phenomenal New England coastal town has very little bells and whistles, and we mean that in the absolute most complimentary sense. Sure, in the summer months the Cape sees action, but you can escape the hustle and bustle quite easily. Lay back in a hammock and switch off your social media as well as your brain. Don’t Tweet a picture of the beach house you’re renting. Ignore your Facebook notifications. Simply enjoy the scenery while you’re immersed in it, because, sadly, vacations don’t last forever.

Tea House Challenge

Ordinarily, you have to bring a lunch when exploring a land as wild as Banff National Park, but the 9‐mile Tea House Challenge offers its own refreshments inside two fairy tale‐like historic tea houses. Stroll and climb past scenic shoreline, monolithic mountains, hanging valleys, glaciers and snowfields. Depending upon when hunger strikes, you can slink into a chair at the Lake Agnes Tea House and/or Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House and indulge in a much‐needed refueling amidst some of the world’s most amazing scenery.

Avalanche Lake

Located in the stunning Glacier National Park, the Avalanche Lake hike is about 5 miles with a moderate difficult rating. So why is it so exhilarating? About halfway through, hikers will witness the awe‐inspiring view of Avalanche Lake that hugs the base of the Bearhat Mountain — rising about 4800 above the waters — and Little Matterhorn. Admire the view as you gaze at the waterfalls that flow into the lake and the lush surrounding forest or even bring swimming clothes and take a dip in the cold, crisp water. Make sure to bring a camera.

Delta National Forest

Monarch Butterfly populations are declining, but you don’t need to be an expert to help scientists save them. The Delta National Forest in Mississippi is popular among amateur naturalists who come to participate in The North American Butterfly Count. You can actually contribute to saving a declining species just by reporting what you see while enjoying the forest.

Avalon Peninsula

Nature is at its most awe-inspiring when its destructive power is on display, and that’s never more apparent than in the case of icebergs. The Newfoundland and Labrador area is great for watching icebergs in spring and summer, and there’s no better place than the Avalon Peninsula. Watch in awe as they chip off of glaciers and fall violently into the sea, or pretend you’re doing a better job of piloting the Titanic and spot them as they float in the ocean.

Cape Hatteras

There’s perhaps nowhere in the world more peaceful than Cape Hatteras, an endearing little beach town on the Eastern coast of North Carolina. This low­key coastal town is an incomparable spot to unwind. Maybe you want to break out the canoe, pop in your headphones and head out on the lake. Perhaps you’d like to fall asleep next to a crackling firepit just a few feet from the ocean. Either way, when you return back to real life, you’ll undoubtedly find yourself far more relaxed than you previously were.

Hike The Kalalau Trail

Camping on secluded Hawaiian beaches with no road access? That’s worth a backpacking trip in itself. The 11‐mile Kalalau Trail offers that and plenty more, providing the only land access to its part of Kauai’s rugged Na Pali Coast. The trail hugs the cliffs high above the brilliant blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, forcing you to overcome dizzying exposure, steep climbs and descents, and slick, eroded trail surfaces. Your beach retreat will be all that much sweeter after earning it on this heart‐racing slice of technical trail

Redwoods State Park

This is as unique of a bungee jumping experience as you will find on Earth. It’s not a bridge or building — it’s a tree. Imagine gazing up at those giant, magnificent redwood trees of Northern California before physically climbing the tree to reach the top. Then, walk along a tight rope between two trees before performing a 150‐foot bungee jump in the dense forest. With such an unforgettable free fall, it’s a thrill of a lifetime.

Niagara Falls

Yep, a natural creation so awesome it required two countries to contain it. Depending on your adrenaline tolerance, there are several ways to experience the falls. The more timid can walk the boardwalk skirting the rapids, while those who want to get up close to the natural power can take boat rides that bring you within arm’s reach of the thundering falls. For those who like a bird’s eye view, cable cars traverse the massive waterfall system.

Yosemite National Park

Most of the 3.7 million visitors to Yosemite National Park in California go and see the seven square miles known as Yosemite Valley that was named a World Heritage Site in 1984. Still, 95% of the almost 750,000 acres is designated wilderness. As famous naturalist John Muir said of Yosemite, “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity.”

Stowe

Stowe, Vermont is simply extraordinary, regardless of when in the year you choose to visit. In the summer, though, it’s admittedly inexplicable; the grass is seemingly a shade greener than anywhere else in the world. In the winter, the near­-perpetual snowfall blankets this quiet mountain town in the most picturesque of ways. The bars and restaurants are quiet and nearly never over-crowded. The bed and breakfasts are modestly priced and charming. This is the perfect vacation for someone who genuinely values relaxation.

The Sourdough Mountain Trail

An oft‐forgotten gem of the national park system, North Cascades National Park receives a fraction of the number of visitors of Washington’s Olympic and Mount Rainier National Parks, making it a great place to find a quieter slice of natural beauty. The Sourdough Mountain Trail tests you with a grueling climb of nearly 5,000 vertical feet over 5 miles, but it rewards with views of mountains, glaciers, lakes and volcanoes from a historic lookout tower planted atop the mountain.

Napa Valley

California’s gorgeous Napa Valley is best known for its many wineries. And while any number of party bus and limo services offer classy means of transportation for you and your friends to visit these vineyards, there’s another method you may want to consider. Experiencing the wineries from the seat of a bicycle is undoubtedly one of the coolest activities one can enjoy while visiting Napa. Clear your schedule one Sunday afternoon, then clear your head as you spend a few hours pedaling past rows and rows of vineyards, not reliant on a driver, but on your own two feet.

Trail 401

For the mountain biking enthusiast, Trail 401 in Crested Butte, Colorado features breathtaking views of some of the most beautiful natural sights North America has to offer. As you start, riders will climb over 2200 feet on a single track through dense trees; once the trees opens up, however, they’ll reach an elevation of 11,339 feet on a single track with 360‐degree views of the famous Elk range. It’s not the most difficult ride there is, but because it’s about two miles above sea level, it’ll feel just as hard.

Mendenhall Glacier Caves

Glaciers, by and large, are responsible for the landscape we know today. As they creep along at their, well, glacial pace, they carve out hills, valleys, canyons and water features. Following the West Glacial trail in Juneau, Alaska gives you the opportunity to explore some caves that look like something out of a fantasy scape. Inside, you’ll experience what it feels like to be trapped in time.

AskMen, Become a Better Man, Big Shiny Things, Mantics and guyQ are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis Canada, Inc. and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission.